LETTER: Fall River's bad roads stunt tourism growth

I am a reader who finds the underpasses and overpasses along Davol Street in Fall River deplorable. What is it that the Fall River administration doesn’t get?

The Taunton Daily Gazette, Taunton, MA

Writer

Posted Sep. 11, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 11, 2012 at 11:23 AM

Posted Sep. 11, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 11, 2012 at 11:23 AM

» Social News

I am a reader who finds the underpasses and overpasses along Davol Street in Fall River deplorable. What is it that the Fall River administration doesn’t get?

These are the roads that lead to the absolutely only redeeming area worth driving to in Fall River, the Heritage State Park, Battleship Cove, the Narrows and maybe the Marine Museum.

The visitors drive over the worst roads in the whole city and view rusting girders, potholes, poorly filled potholes, eroding cement, trash and weeds growing along each side of the roads. It depicts a poor city that is not interested in sprucing up in the name of pride and tourism. I don’t understand.

There needs to be routine cleaning crews and demands to get the roads safe. Residents and surrounding area residents are not asking for a Buddy Cianci makeover, just a cleanup of the roads leading to Fall River’s treasures.

Visitors may come, but they will probably not return. They will not have nice things to say about the city. Their comments to family, friends and neighbors will be negative. It is embarrassing. I have now decided to avoid the area completely and encourage anyone traveling from Somerset to Interstate 195 to not take Fall River exit, but continue the Route 79 Middeleboro route to the Airport Road exit and take it though to Interstate 195 at the Narrows.

This is especially the best route if pulling a trailer. It is truly dangerous taking the Davol Street route. It only took me 11 minutes to take the Route 24 turn off at the Narrows coming off Interstate 195 West to Airport exit, onto Route 24 and over the bridge to Somerset center. A director of tourism? What is it that the Fall River administration just does not get?